


Orpheus's Song

by goldenthunderstorms (PotatosaurusOfBroadway)



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hades and Persephone, but its centered on everyones favorite greek couple, its the myth of orpheus and eurydice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-21 11:22:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16575494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PotatosaurusOfBroadway/pseuds/goldenthunderstorms
Summary: retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice centered around Hades and Persephone, told from Persephone's POV





	Orpheus's Song

**Author's Note:**

> wrote this for fun, hope y'all like it  
> since their appearances aren't described, here's the basics for your convenience:  
> Persephone has brown skin, dark hair, one green eye and one gray eye.  
> Hades is pale, dark hair, one blind eye so it's white and one gold eye.

The screech owl swooped in and perched on the arm of Hades’s throne. The owl made a sound, and Hades stiffened. He waved the owl away and stood, grabbing his staff.

“What? What happened?” I asked, standing as well.

“A mortal has passed Charon.” He muttered.

“What? How is that possible?”

Hades was about to reply when a sound caught my attention. I put a hand over his chest to stop him. He froze and glanced at me with his good eye, raising an eyebrow. I put a finger to my lips. Then I heard it.  _ Music _ .

It was singing and a lyre. I could not hear the words, but it was as if the song this man was singing was sorrow in itself. The sound of his voice filled me with a despair so strong that I fell back into my throne.

Hades gripped his staff harder and sat back down, slowly.

“My lord! My lady!” A servant ran in, waving his hands. “A mortal, at the gates! He has tamed Cerberus and he will be here soon! He . . . he wishes to take his wife back to the realm of the living.”

The song grew louder and soon a man appeared in the doorway. He was nearly as beautiful as his voice: golden curls fell over green eyes and a fair face. Apollo’s son, no doubt.

He did not stop his song until he was before us, at our feet, and he knelt.

“Lord Hades, Lady Persephone, I come before you as a lover slighted. My heart longs for my wife, Eurydice. I appeal to you so I may bring her back to the realm of the living, where she belongs.” The man says, and he weeps, tears flowing from his eyes though his voice is steady and strong.

“Stand, mortal,” Hades says firmly. “What is your name?”

“Orpheus,” he replies.

Hades grimaces and I reach over to take his hand. The man’s gaze shifts to me and his eyes are desperate. “My lady, please . . .”

I sigh and shake my head. “Orpheus, your wife is gone. The Moirai have deemed it her time. There is nothing to be done for her now.”

“No, it was a mistake. We have just wed! I know it was not Eurydice’s time.” His gaze flickered hopelessly back and forth between my husband and I. I hated depriving a man of his wife, but mortals died and we could do nothing about that.

“I am sorry, we cannot—” Orpheus cut Hades off.

“Wait! Please! Please, let me sing for you. Perhaps you will change your mind.”

Hades began to protest. _ “We cannot—” _

“Wait,” I squeezed Hades’s hand. He looked to me, raising an eyebrow. I met his gaze, replying to Orpheus. “We like music. Sing for us.”

Hades studied my eyes for a moment, his face unreadable. After a moment, he nodded, turning back to Orpheus. “Sing,” he permitted.

I turned my attention to Orpheus as well. He picked up his lyre and began to play a tune so melancholy it made the room colder. When he began to sing, his voice was filled with a fresh, raw pain that I felt deep inside of me. He sang a song of his wife, Eurydice. They were madly in love, he sang for her, he played for her, he lived for her. They were newlyweds, the day after their wedding when she died. They had been eating together on a hill when a viper emerged and bit Eurydice. The poison killed her quickly and she died in Orpheus’s arms. He sung of his journey to the Underworld, encouraged by his father, Apollo.

I almost laughed then. It was just like my friend to suggest such a thing.

Orpheus had persuaded Charon to ferry him across with his song. He sang it all the way to our gates, soothing Cerberus to sleep with a lullaby. Orpheus finished his song with his plea, his longing to reunite with his wife.

He searched mine and Hades’s face desperately. I had tears in my eyes. I turned to Hades. His face was guarded, but his eyes had softened. “Get this man a room.” He muttered.

“What?” Rhadamanthys, one of our judges of the dead, who had been watching the scene, sputtered.

“Did I stutter?” Hades replied, still looking at Orpheus. “Get this man a room.”

“Hades?” I asked.

“We will make a decision tonight.” He replied, finally moving his gaze from Orpheus to me. “We need to discuss it.”

He waved Rhadamanthys to come forward. “Now, find him a room in the wing adjacent ours. Do not feed him if he wishes to leave.”

Rhadamanthys took Orpheus by the arm and led him away. When we were alone, Hades stood. “We have considerations to make.” He took his staff and began to leave to our wing. I followed, tears still on my cheeks. Hades was always better at concealing his emotions than I. If it were possible inside the palace, I knew flowers would be blooming in my trail.

“Hades.” I said, catching up to him. He did not reply. “Hades!”

Hades stopped and turned to me. He took me by my shoulders and kissed my forehead, just above my diadem. “When we get to our chambers, we will discuss it.” He said quietly. I nodded, understanding. These were delicate matters. We could not discuss them in the corridors where those may hear.

I took his hand, lacing our fingers as we walked. He was tense, even as we entered our chambers. He removed his cape and his crown, sitting heavily at the end of our bed. I removed my diadem and sat beside him.

“Hades, my love,” I put my arm around his shoulders.

“My darling,” he replied quietly.

I laid my head on his shoulder. “We must let her go.”

Hades chuckled shortly, sharply. “Must we? Can we?”

“Are we supposed to just leave this man to his grief?” I asked, rubbing circles into his shoulder.

“Mortals die, Persephone. There is nothing we can do once they are dead.”

“Hades, we  _ can _ . This is our kingdom.”

Hades chuckled again, genuinely this time. “My love, you know that is not how it works. We must abide by the laws of Fate, meaning we cannot spare mortals.”

“Just  _ once _ , Hades. You and I know full well what it is like to miss a lover. We know the  _ longing _ . I thought you would sympathize as well. I know that being without you is like missing a part of myself.”

“All mortals grieve, Persephone.”

“But did you not hear his pain? Did you not  _ feel  _ it? Hades, please, I thought you would have understood him. They are in  _ love _ . Can you not spare a fellow—”

_ “Of course I understand!”  _ Hades exclaimed, standing suddenly. I stared, surprised. Hades rarely had a temper, he was always calm. It was always me.

“Hades . . ?” I whispered.

He gripped the edge of the table we had set our crowns on. He did not face me, but his shaking shoulders gave him away. I had seen my husband cry perhaps three times in centuries of marriage. It terrified me.

“Hades,” I said again, standing. “Hades, look at me.” I put a hand on his shoulder and he stilled. Gently, I turned him to face me. He stared at the ceiling, refusing to meet my eyes with tears in his. I cupped his cheek and guided his face down so our gazes met. He gave no protest, meeting my gaze with his seeing eye—gold and glistening with tears. I brushed the tears from both his eyes and kissed him softly. I leaned my forehead against his. “My love,” I whispered.

“My darling,” he replied, voice rough.

“My dearest, my one and only, my king, my everything,” I said, watching a corner of his mouth turn up. It lowered again, a moment later, but it was enough for now. “What is burdening you?”

“You say I do not sympathize.  _ I do _ , Persephone. Damn it all, I do.” He sighed, “I know longing stronger than anything. We are separated, you go to the overworld to your mother and your friends and your gardens. I stay here, alone.” His voice grew more bitter as he spoke. “Yet you say I do not understand.”

I frowned. “I had never considered that.”

“Of course you did not. You may miss me, but you are happy there. You are happy with your mother and your gardens, far grander than the one I can give you here. But I am always  _ here _ , Persephone! Shunned by my brothers to this land of the dead.  _ No one  _ knows longing as I do.”

“You know I miss you terribly.” I say, searching his eye intensely.

“But you do not know the loneliness, Persephone. You do not know the isolation. I do not see the living for weeks on end! I stay here with the souls and their stories and their  _ hate _ , longing for you.”

My own tears had reappeared. “I am sorry, I did not think—”

“No, do not apologize. There is nothing to be done.” He took my hands from his face, lacing our fingers between us.

“I cannot bear your suffering.”

He smiled wryly. “You do not bear it.”

I scoffed, “Hades, you know what I mean. I cannot bear  _ you  _ suffering.”

Hades seemed less upset now, having gotten his words out. He brushed his lips against mine. “I do not suffer when you are here. I do not suffer when I think of you.”

“Do you wish for Orpheus to suffer as well?” I whisper against his lips.

Hades exhaled shakily. “Persephone—”

“I know you wish to help them.” I pointed out.

“Of course I do. I know his pain, I felt it as rawly as my own. But I cannot simply free a soul. Atropos would have my head.”

I kiss him again, slow and gentle. I squeeze his hands. “We must try. Surely there is a way.”

“My darling . . .”

“Hush, we will find a way.”

“How?”

I smiled. “Who kept my mother from taking me back? Who’s idea was the pomegranate?”

Hades smiled as well. “Mine,” he replied.

“Then I firmly believe you will come up with another brilliant idea.”

“And if I cannot?”

“You will.” I tugged at his hands and pulled him back to bed. He sat willingly now, letting me pull him back and wrap his arms around me. “Tell me, what do you think when we are separated?”

“Do you wish to make me cry again? I will not do it, Persephone.”

I laughed weakly. “No, my love, we are discussing.” I rubbed his back. “Tell me. What is your first thought as Charon rows me away?”

He closes his eyes, sighing. “Do not look back.”

“What?”

“I tell myself not to look back. I know that if I do, I will not be able to restrain myself. If I do, I will jump onto that boat myself and swim us back. I had to remind myself that you would be back, and I would manage until then.”

I smiled again, kissing his cheek. “When have I last told you I love you?”

I felt his lips turn up and I pressed kisses across his face. “It has been a dreadful few hours.”

“Well I must tell you again: I love you, Hades.”

He presses his lips to mine for a long moment before he replies. “I love you too, but we will not get any discussing done if you continue kissing me.”

“Very well,” I sighed wistfully, “I will hold myself back.”

This drew a laugh from him. “Only for now, my darling.”

“Okay, well, we have ‘do not look back.’”

Hades seemed to turn it over in his mind for a moment before his eyes lit up. I wished to immortalize the look of joy on his face, more precious than any jewel he had ever given me.

“An idea, my love?” I asked.

“Yes, it may be . . .  parlous but it will work. We can give them a chance.”

I woke up to an empty bed and footsteps, pacing. I sat up drowsily, seeing my husband, already fully dressed and pacing around the room.

“My love, my dearest, my one and only,” I sighed, rubbing my eyes. Hades turned to look at me, surprised I was awake. “Why are you already awake and dressed and  _ pacing _ ?”

“We tell Orpheus our decision. I know we did what we could, but I do not wish to make this man his own demise.”

“You say it is all we  _ can  _ do.”

“It is!”

I sighed, sliding out of bed. “Give me a moment to dress.” I found a gown and donned my diadem once again. I walked barefoot in the palace, used to it from my life in the overworld. Now it was merely preference. I took Hades’s hand. “Come, my love, we have done what we can.”

We walked to the throne room hand in hand. As we entered, I saw Orpheus, forced to kneel by Minos.

“Minos!” Hades called, snapping his fingers. “Release him!”

Minos did so, grudgingly. Orpheus stood, head still bowed. “Lord Hades, Lady Persephone, I hope you have considered my plea?”

“We have.” I answered, sitting with Hades on our thrones.

“And you have decided?”

Hades nodded, “Persephone and I have made a decision to the most of our abilities. We have tried to do what we can, Orpheus.” He waves Minos out of the room, leaving just us and Orpheus. “We know the pain of longing for a lover.”

“Hades knows, especially.” I added.

Hades nodded again, solemnly. “I will have Hecate bring in your wife.”

Orpheus’s face lit up. “Eurydice?”

“Yes,” I answered, my heart aching for the man. “We hope to let you return with her.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You hope?”

Hades had sent for Hecate through a screech owl. I was spared from answering Orpheus as she walked in, the ghost of a girl in her awake.

“Orpheus,” Hades said, drawing Orpheus’s attention from desperately trying for glances of his wife. “This is not often permitted. We had to make . . . choices. We cannot allow you to simply take Eurydice back.”

This gained Orpheus’s full attention. “What?”

“It is against the laws of Fate to simply free a soul after Death has claimed it. Therefore, we have  _ special  _ terms.”

“Anything,” Orpheus breathed.

“You may take Eurydice back. But during your entire journey back to the overworld, you may not look back at Eurydice. Until the light of the overworld hits her and she is living again, you may not look back at her.”

“B-But how will I know she is with me?”

“Let your love and your faith in that love reassure you. If you can make it to the overworld with her, she is yours.” Hades explained. I could tell he was fighting to keep an even expression.

“I will do it.” Orpheus said, “I will make it and I will take my wife back.”

Hades smiled slightly. “Then go, Orpheus, son of Apollo. Go, and take your sorrows with you. I hope I will not see either of you for decades to come.”

It was a compliment from Hades, a wish for fair health and longevity, but Orpheus did not seem to understand it. Either way, he nodded and kneeled. “Thank you for giving us a chance.”

They do not make it.

Orpheus makes it just out and in his jubilation forgets that Eurydice must be hit with overwordly light. He turns, and watches her fade into shades again. He sings a new song, one of grief only.

Eurydice returns and Hades weeps when he sees her.

“We did what we could.” I whispered, even though I knew we should have tried harder.

“We gave all that we could and he still could not do it.” Hades replies quietly, his head on my shoulder. “I do not think we could have stopped it. Fate has a way. Eurydice was meant to stay here. But sometimes, Persephone, I cannot help but wonder . . .”

“Neither can I,” I agree.

Orpheus’s soul arrives a month later. He had tried to take his life multiple times but the world did not let him, refusing to lose his music. He was killed by Maenads, who were displeased by his despairing song. Orpheus is offered Elysium, but he refuses. He insists upon the Fields of Asphodel, to be reunited with his love.

It appears Orpheus’s song had a happy ending after all.


End file.
